My post college participation in the workforce has spanned 25 years, 5 industries, and 6 states.

I had a conversation the other night with a former colleague from my days in the hospitality industry.  I don’t remember how the subject came up, but we began to talk about our experiences with on-boarding and training.  Ultimately, how well were we prepared to succeed with that company from day one?

So I decided to think back about the best of the best as it related to the last 25 years and why they stacked up that way.

Without a doubt, the best preparation came from the hospitality industry for me.  It may have to do with the fact that in order to run a successful operation, you need to be well versed in so many areas whether it be the kitchen, dining room, or bar. Oddly enough, the two companies that I felt did it the best, had the same man as one of their founders.  That man was Dave Anderson, better known as “Famous Dave” from “Famous Dave’s BBQ“.

I was fortunate enough to be a part of the Food and Beverage opening team for Grand Casino in Gulfport, Mississippi (which unfortunately was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina).  The training was not just about food and beverage, but the whole customer experience.  It was an intensive training program that covered just about every product, protocol, system and situation that could arise day in and day out.

My second example in the hospitality industry that was top notch was during management training at Famous Dave’s BBQ. Their training was even more intensive as we had to learn the ingredients for every item, how to prep, cook, and deliver from the kitchen as well as every aspect of all front of the house operations.  It ended with a week long training session at the corporate headquarters. This training was called “Hog Heaven” and the last day we were graced with the presence and meaningful words from founder Dave Anderson.  He shared a philosophy with us that has stuck with me in every job since.  If you subscribe to the “Platinum Rule” (Treat People Better Than They Expect To Be Treated”), you will never fall short of their expectations.

In my current industry I was lucky enough to get my start working for industry leader TEKsystems.  Almost 11 years ago to the day I began working for them and today I still lean on many of the principles and tools they teach every new recruiter that center around recruiting, HR, and negotiations to name a few.  They have a consistent, repeatable training program that sets you up for success just like the ones I experienced at Famous Dave’s and Grand Casino.

I believe that proper training and on-boarding are the ABC’s of successful employees which leads to successful businesses. When you prepare them to succeed, they tend to buy into your vision and strive to make the company goals their own.

If you are set up for success from day one, you have a great chance of thriving from day one.  The alternative which I imagine we’ve all experienced at some point in our careers, can only cause one to struggle from the outset.

So make sure you always try to live by the “Platinum Rule” when dealing with new employees and consultants.  You’ll never fall short of their expectations and they will strive to be successful every day which means your company will be too.